Contraceptive Use in India

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India has struggled with population control since the beginning of the twentieth century. Due to pressures from local and global governments, India instigated the first National population policy. By trying to control its ever growing population, India has experienced periods of overly repressive contraception policies which often limited contraceptive options to a single method. The patriarchal foundation of Indian society as well as governmental pressures influences the use and availability of contraceptives in India. Women are not portrayed in equal standing with men in Indian culture and are rarely in charge of their own reproductive decisions. The role of mother in Indian culture is highly important and when compounded with traditions such as son preference lowers likelihood of contraceptive use. This lack of autonomy and cultural significance of motherhood drastically limit the options for women seeking contraception. Contraceptive freedom and availability is important for women’s health and is a major factor in reducing the extremely high risk of maternal mortality for women in India.